Airport security: Should elderly people get special treatment?

Airline passengers who are over the age of 75 will now be able to keep their shoes and light jackets on at security checkpoints across four US airports from Monday.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced the move on Wednesday, according to USA Today.

The new rules are similar to the regulations for children up to 12, and will reduce the need for pat-downs for the elderly.

The TSA has often come under fire for its tough procedures since the 9/11 attacks, so the changes are part of a strategy to focus more on potentially riskier passengers.

Agency spokesman Jim Fotenos told the Huffington Post: "By moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach to security and applying some intelligence-driven and risk-based security models, TSA is looking at how this works for passengers."

Lenore Zimmerman, who has a defibrillator for heart problems, was worried that airport scanners at JFK Airport, New York, would interfere with her life-saving device. After asking for an alternative security check, she says was taken to a private room and told to remove her clothes in a humiliating search that also left her injured.

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When does it come to the UK? I'm 80 and airport HASSLE makes you warn out before you start a flight. I'd rather go to Soton and join a cruise. Much easier and you can have a G and T while waiting for your luggage.

I have jusat declined a trip to the USA with my partner dueto the ridiculous and cruel treatment I ahve had at more than ome American airport. I'm a wheelchair passenger and on one occasion was put to stand in a plexi-glass cubicle without my stick or any support for a few minutes which was both painful and embarrassing) This was at Miami cruise terminal Anotrher visit I was given such a vigorous pat down (again without any support to help me stand) that the female who was checking e became angry because I wasn't (couln't) stand still enoughsher became so rough it was only due to the quiock reflex of a senior security officer who grabbed me that prevented me from falling against a wooden bench in the security area. That was scaring believe me o now.....................well thee's a lot of the rest of the world

Common sense is the answer. I can't imagine that a woman in her mid-seventies or more (or anyone else) would be carrying a bomb in her BELT! Why don';t they just ask to see our belt round our waist?Shoes? Difficult one ...

Not special treatment but sensible treatment.If I said to a grandparent take this through security for me or your grandchild will be harmed, what do you think they'd do...Not a nice idea I know but, terrorists aren't nice people. Let's keep a stable head on this situation.Remember, security checks have to be good (lucky) all the time...a terrorist only has to be lucky once!!9/11,London,Madrid and the middle east all prove that.

My late mother flew longhaul until she was almost 95 and couldn't go through the machine as she had a pacemaker. She was always patted down and often had to remove her shoes. I suspect she quite enjoyed it and would've felt insulted to be treated differently.